


Sleeping Beauty

by yuletide_archivist



Category: Earthian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-22
Updated: 2003-12-22
Packaged: 2018-01-25 04:52:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1632515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuletide_archivist/pseuds/yuletide_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU!  As punishment for his second siting, Chihaya must work at a long-term hospital where he meets a comatose Kagetsuya.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sleeping Beauty

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Taelle

 

 

"This way, Chihaya," the white coated man said. "Keep up, we're almost there." 

"S-sorry!" The dark-haired young man trotted to catch the doctor as he continued to walk briskly through the ward. His deep purple eyes wandered over everything in their path, taking in the calm, home-like atmosphere and glancing quickly at the open doorways. 

"Didn't anyone ever tell you it's impolite to stare?" 

"I'm very sorry, I just..." Chihaya dropped his eyes quickly, drawing himself to attention in his nervousness. 

The older man chuckled and waved his words away. "I understand. Everyone who comes here is a little curious at first, but I promise--the people here don't bite. In fact, they don't do much of anything. 

"This ward is for the sleepers, people who, for one reason or another, have fallen into vegatative or comatose states and have no hope of recovery." 

"I...I'm just surprised," Chihaya turned, facing the doctor with confusion. "Our technology and abilities...I wouldn't have thought that this many of our people would be left like this." 

The other man nodded, "It's rare, really. Most of the people here have been here for years. We have only taken in one new patient in the last year." With a gesture he motioned Chihaya to enter one of the open doors. 

Light flooded the room from a set of bay windows facing the west, glimpses of gardens and other hospital buildings could be seen, but the occupant of the simple bed against the far wall had never seen them. He was striking looking even in deep sleep, noble features, fair and strong were carved in an unchanging face. Blond gold hair fell just about his arched brows and Chihaya could imagine the warm color of blue the lidded eyes must be. 

"His name is Kagetsuya, he was a Negative on Earth until last year when he...well," the doctor gestured at the prone figure. 

"When he what?" Chihaya asked, not taking his gaze off the blond. 

The doctor shrugged, "He fell asleep. As far as we can tell, he's just never woken up since." 

"But how?!" the black-hired man asked in shock. He hovered his hand over Kagetsuya's arm, afraid to touch him, disturb him without permission. 

"We don't know. His Positive partner disappeared not too long before and he was called back to Valhalla to await new orders from Eden. The night he arrived, he went straight to his quarters and fell asleep." 

"His partner, Seraphim, is missing. That must have been horrible. I never got along with my Negative partners well, but I could never imagine losing one." 

"Why don't you talk to him for a while, Chihaya? I'm sure he'd like that." 

"But--shouldn't I be doing something else? Cleaning bedpans or something?" 

"Your father sent you here for punishment, he didn't say what the punishment was to be. It's my desicion and I think you'd be better off here." 

The dark-haired young man looked down at his sleeping companion and nodded with a smile.   
 

* * *

  


"So, after my little accidental exposure to the photo journalist my father--my adoptive father, that is--Michael--yes, that Michael--said as a punishment that I had to make snow fall in Hawaii for Christmas. I was all set to--make it snow that is, it wasn't really that hard--when my partner and Rafael cut in and argued that it wasn't enough of a punishment for my transgresses." 

Chihaya sighed in his monologue. "You probably would have argued, too. Wouldn't you have, Kagetsuya? You're a Negative angel, right? I could only imagine what we would have been like as partners. 

"You strike me," Chihaya smiled at his silent companion, "as a strict, all-business type of guy. I had a partner like that in the beginning. He didn't like me at all, called me `mutant' all the time. Not that I've never heard that before, but after a while it got really annoying. Like it's my fault I look like this? I'd change, if I could. I'd like to be beautiful like you. Tall, fair and handsome. 

"Still, I'm not without my good qualities. I graduated top of my class in the academy, I was chosen to go to Earth directly after. It was my dream come true, going to Earth. I knew I'd make a good Positive checker and I've always been curious about the Earthians; they're such interesting people, you know? 

"Yeah, you probably do know, but not the same. I wonder how you saw them, trained to be a Negative. How many Negative reports did you send in? Do you really think they deserve to be destroyed?" 

Chihaya's babbled wound down. He had been talking to the sleeping stranger for almost an hour and his thoughts had brought him to the same place they always did. Feeling a wave of melancholy, he stood up from his chair beside the bed and looked closely at the man. 

A few years older, with no signs of laugh lines or traces of life on the smooth features, Chihaya moved his fingers over his face lightly. "We look a lot like them, on the outside and in our hearts, too." His fingers traced eyebrows, cheek bones and chin and then started over again, moving soothingly. "We cherish some of the same things. Wisdom, love, art, beauty...Beauty. 

"There was a story I heard once on Earth, passing through a worn down school. A teacher telling her children a tale about a cursed princess and how a prince saved her from eternal sleep. It was a strange tale, and an unlikely ending. You see, he saved her with a simple kiss. 

"That's what really interested me in the story--a human with the healing kiss. I thought perhaps the teacher was really an angel in disguise, like me, but she wasn't. She said that the story was hundreds of years old and that the kiss was magical because it was true love." 

The Positive angel smiled. "To human children, true love conquers all and all the worlds hurts can be solved with a kiss." 

Chihaya looked down again and blushed to see his finger tracing the other man's mouth unconsciously. "I...I'm sorry. I'm sorry you're like this. I'm sorry you lost your partner. You shouldn't be in a place like this. You shouldn't be alone and sleeping your life away in an empty, quiet room. I wish I could do something for you..." 

The younger man bit his lip, glancing to the door, closed now for privacy as it had been since the doctor left over an hour ago. "Perhaps...forgive me for this, whether or not it works; I just can't stand here and not try. Dear Kagetsuya, my sleeping beauty." 

He pressed his lips to the stranger's thin, pale ones. Without opening his eyes he pulled back a few inches and took a deep breath. Then he felt the blond beneath him take one, then another. The purple eyed man yelped and flung himself backwards, watching the other in disbelief and fear. 

Kagetsuya yawned and his eyes crunched shut, trying to remember how to open them. As he came to his senses he saw a slim, dark haired figure racing out the door. Moments later he was surrounded, questioned, poked and prodded by stunned nurses. 

He asked what was happening and the first answer he heard from them was. 

"A miracle."   
 

* * *

  
Months Later:

Chihaya opened the door of his new apartment, humming a human song to himself. He dumped his backpack on the couch without a thought and started his computer up, downloading his orders from Eden swiftly. 

He was to be recieving a new partner soon. He hadn't heard when, but his father seemed to think he needed one around to keep him out of trouble. Like he went looking for it! 

Seeing nothing of great importance, he shut the machine down and stood, stretching. The day had been long and lazy, but he still felt the lure of sleep pulling him to his bed. 

Opening the door, he froze. 

A man was laying on his bed, still as the day Chihaya had met him, but his features weren't so pale and drawn. 

"Kagetsuya? Is that you?" Chihaya whispered, then spoke louder. "Excuse me? I hate to disturb you, but you can't just come in here and take over! Your room is down the hall. Kagetsuya?" With a sick feeling in his stomach, Chihaya approached the bed. "Kagetsuya? Please..." 

He shook the figure gently. And then not so gently. He went to the bathroom and got a glass of water, then threw it on the blonde's face. As he feared, nothing worked. 

"I've wondered what it would be like if we were together on Earth, but not like this. Please, Kagetsuya, wake up!" He shook the man one last time, tears starting to form in his eyes. "Forgive me." 

He kissed him for the second time, and for the second time revived the man. 

A long-fingered hand twisted into his hair, gasping Chihaya pulled back. 

"You're--you're awake!" 

"Yes and it's about time. I'll have bruises for a week!" 

"Well what did you expect?!" 

The other man smiled. "I expected to hear that voice that told me to keep living, to feel those finger that touch me so gently. Those lips made me want to face life again." 

The dark angel gaped. "You--you knew? Were you awake?!" 

"No, I didn't want to wake before I heard you calling me. Then you left so quickly. I survived only to find you again, idiot. I had to know if it was just a fluke... So, do you want me?" 

"Idiot.....yes." 

"Good, because I'm your new partner. You wouldn't have gotten rid of me anyways." The lips, that had seemed so lifeless and sad before lifted into a smile. And Chihaya knew it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, all for him. 

 


End file.
